# Passive electrical neurofeedback treatment of mTBI: MEG and Behavioral Outcomes

> **NIH VA I01** · VA SAN DIEGO HEALTHCARE SYSTEM · 2021 · —

## Abstract

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a leading cause of sustained physical, cognitive, emotional, and
behavioral deficits in OEF/OIF/OND Veterans and the general public. However, the underlying pathophysiology
is not completely understood, and there are few effective treatments for post-concussive symptoms (PCS). In
addition, there are substantial overlaps between PCS and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in
mTBI. IASIS is among a class of passive neurofeedback treatments that combine low-intensity pulses for
transcranial electrical stimulation (LIP-tES) with electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring. LIP-tES techniques
have shown promising results in alleviating PCS individuals with TBI. However, the neural mechanisms
underlying the effects of LIP-tES treatment in TBI are unknown, owing to the dearth of neuroimaging
investigations of this therapeutic intervention. Conventional neuroimaging techniques such as MRI and CT
have limited sensitivity in detecting physiological abnormalities caused by mTBI, or in assessing the efficacy of
mTBI treatments. In acute and chronic phases, CT and MRI are typically negative even in mTBI patients with
persistent PCS. In contrast, evidence is mounting in support of resting-state magnetoencephalography (rs-
MEG) slow-wave source imaging (delta-band, 1-4 Hz) as a noninvasive imaging marker for neuronal
abnormalities in mTBI. The primary goal of the present application is to use rs-MEG to identify the neural
underpinnings of behavioral changes associated with IASIS treatment in Veterans with mTBI. Using a double-
blind placebo controlled design, we will study changes in abnormal MEG slow-waves before and after IASIS
treatment (relative to a ‘sham’ treatment group) in Veterans with mTBI. In addition, we will examine treatment-
related changes in PCS, PTSD symptoms, neuropsychological test performances, and their association with
changes in MEG slow-waves. We for the first time will address a fundamental question about the mechanism
of slow-waves in brain injury, namely whether slow-wave generation in wakefulness is merely a negative
consequence of neuronal injury or if it is a signature of ongoing neuronal rearrangement and healing that
occurs at the site of the injury. Specific Aim 1 will detect the loci of injury in Veterans with mTBI and assess the
mechanisms underlying functional neuroimaging changes related to IASIS treatment using rs-MEG slow-wave
source imaging. We hypothesize that MEG slow-wave source imaging will show significantly higher sensitivity
than conventional MRI in identifying the loci of injury on a single-subject basis. We also hypothesize that in
wakefulness, slow-wave generation is a signature of ongoing neural rearrangement / healing, rather than a
negative consequence of neuronal injury. Furthermore, we hypothesize IASIS will ultimately reduce abnormal
MEG slow-wave generation in mTBI by the end of the treatment course, owing to the accomplishment of
neural rearrangement / healin...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10189733
- **Project number:** 5I01RX001988-04
- **Recipient organization:** VA SAN DIEGO HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
- **Principal Investigator:** MINGXIONG HUANG
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-01-01 → 2022-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10189733

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10189733, Passive electrical neurofeedback treatment of mTBI: MEG and Behavioral Outcomes (5I01RX001988-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10189733. Licensed CC0.

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